tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76517977400055438712019-05-25T09:10:49.630-04:00Judas Iscariot: Disciple Whom Jesus LovedNontraditional view of the Jesus/Judas Iscariot relationshipGary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-47997134849779570312017-08-17T12:39:00.000-04:002017-08-17T12:58:11.469-04:00Why No Judas Iscariot in the Writings of Paul<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Judas Iscariot became a traitor when he made the covenant to deliver Jesus to the chief priests; but Jesus responded successfully to that trespass and gained his brother Judas in accordance with his teaching.<br /><br />Also in accordance with his teaching, <i><b>Jesus never spoke of the trespass to anyone other than Judas</b></i>.<br /><br />The will of the Father of Jesus was for Jesus to raise up Judas again at the last day; and for that reason, Judas worked only the last hour. Afterwards, <i><b>the will of Jesus was that Judas tarry until he comes</b></i>.<br /><br />These boldfaced/italicized statements are two reasons why the apostle Paul, if he knew of Judas and/or his act of treachery, would have refrained himself from writing about him or that act.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I write about them in my own name.</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-30298216674818413902017-08-13T02:45:00.000-04:002017-08-15T19:39:58.510-04:00 καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἀπήγξατο<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">&nbsp;and, after his departure, was choked with grief<br />&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">See <a href="https://www.amazon.com/translation-critical-philological-explanatory-Wakefield/dp/1170280250/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1502605352&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=a+new+translation+of+the+gospel+of+st.+matthew">(A new translation of the Gospel of St. Matthew; with notes critical, philological, and explanatory. By Gilbert Wakefield)</a></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Also, <a href="http://www.preteristarchive.com/Books/pdf/1820_wakefield_translation-nt.pdf">A Translation of the New Testament, Wakefield 1820</a> Page 52, an online copy of the translation</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-79229094603356950212017-05-15T07:33:00.000-04:002017-08-17T12:50:07.420-04:00Jesus: The Idiot's Son?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">His disciples were clean, but not all of them. He said so as he washed them. (John 13:10) Still, only those who were already clean benefited from His washing. (The Church; The World)<br /><br />More specifically, he washed the part of the body that he associated with the uncleanness of the one who was not clean: “[He] has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) Still, he who was not clean was not benefited by His washing. (The Church; The World)<br /><br />More specifically again, he administered the washing on the day when he should raise the lost (the one who was not clean) up again. (John 6:39) Still, the lost was not raised up again because he was not benefited by His washing. (The Church; The World)<br /><br />In general, he came to save that which was lost, though it be but one of one hundred. (Matthew 18:11-14) Still, he saved everyone except that which was lost, the one of twelve. (John 17:12; The Church; The World)<br /><br />With regard to receiving a Jesus who was successful in his mission revealed at Matthew 18:11, I see no difference between the Church and the World. That Jesus is superfluous to both.<br /><br />It seems to me that both the Church and the World make out Jesus to be not the son of God, but the son of that imagined idiot who spoke this tale into existence.<br /><br />Still, I say these things only in my own name.</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-82904759329575522552017-04-16T01:20:00.000-04:002017-05-15T07:50:51.327-04:00Parables Jesus Never Taught<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">To shed light on the idea that “the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11), Jesus never taught this parable:<br /><br />“How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and they all be gone astray, does he not go into the mountains and seek them? And if so be that he finds ninety and nine, he rejoices over them. Even so it is the will of your Father which is in heaven. It is an acceptable thing that one should perish.” (Matthew 18:12-14)<br /><br />Neither did he teach this parable:<br /><br />“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she should lose them, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently until she finds nine of the ten? And when she has found the nine, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me; for I have found nine of the ten pieces which I had lost.’” (Luke 15:8,9)<br /><br />Jesus did not teach these parables because they depict neither the situation he faced nor his attitude toward it. Of those whom his Father gave him, only one, not everyone, was lost. (John 17:12)<br /><br />And his attitude toward that one, even more so than toward a loaf of bread, was that nothing be lost. (John 6:12)<br /><br />To shed light on the idea that “the Son of man is come to save that which was lost," here is the parable that Jesus taught:<br /><br />“How think ye? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, does he not leave the ninety and nine, and go into the mountains, and seek that which is gone astray? And if so be that he finds it, verily I say unto you, he rejoices more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.”<br /><br />Here is another parable that Jesus taught:<br /><br />“Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, does not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and her neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I had lost.”<br /><br />Given that the will of Jesus was that nothing be lost, then faith in his ability to save is all we need in order to proclaim that Jesus saved that which was lost.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I say these things only in my own name.</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-6123020875869095932016-12-18T01:56:00.000-05:002016-12-18T01:56:22.300-05:00Why Judas Betrayed Jesus (Or Did He?)<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Judas turned his back on God before Jesus chose him to be an apostle. Before Jesus chose him, Judas was gone astray and lost.<br /><br />Jesus came to save Judas, but it was the will of the Father of Jesus that he raise him up again at the last day. (Matthew 18:11; John 6:39)<br /><br />A few days before the last day, Judas, lost, became piqued when Jesus rebuked him for his criticism of Mary's use of the precious ointment. Judas wanted to get back at Jesus. As it happened, the chief priests had just commanded that the whereabouts of Jesus should be shown. (John 12:3-8; John 11:57)<br /><br />To get back at Jesus, Judas went to the chief priests and made a covenant to hand him over to them. It was a devilish thing to do. It was the act of a traitor. Jesus would later refer to this act with the words of the psalmist, "he has lifted up his heel against me." This was the state of the affair at the beginning of the last day. (Matthew 26:14-16; John 13:2; Luke 6:16; John 13:18)<br /><br />The first act of Jesus on the last day was to wash the heel lifted up against him. This cleansing was all that Jesus needed to raise him up again. By it, Jesus gained his brother/friend/servant. (John 13:1-15)<br /><br />Jesus was in the process of laying down his life with power. After raising up Judas again, he had less than 24 hours to be handed over to the chief priests, to suffer many things of them, to be killed, and to be buried. His next step was to send his servant to serve as guide for those who would take him. (John 10:17,18; Matthew 16:21; John 13:21-31; Acts 1:16)<br /><br />Jesus spoke cryptically. His food was to do the will of his Father, and to finish His work. Therefore, for another to eat his food with him was to cooperate with him as he finished his work. Using scripture, Jesus showed that the one who should eat his food with him was the one who had lifted up his heel against him. Only Judas understood. (John 4:34; John 13:18)<br /><br />Jesus declared to all that one of them would hand him over, but he revealed who it was to him alone. In that manner, Jesus put it into the heart of Judas to fulfill his obligation under the covenant he made as a devil. (John 13:21,28,29)<br /><br />Satan opposed those things which Jesus said should happen at Jerusalem. As soon as Jesus put it into the heart of Judas to hand him over, Satan entered into Judas again. Satan worked to remove from his heart the thing that Jesus had just put there. Judas overcame Satan. (Matthew 16:22,23; Mark 8:31-33; John 13:27; John 13:30)<br /><br />Judas didn't betray Jesus. In the end, Jesus himself sent Judas to the chief priests in order to hand himself over to them. In the end, Judas glorified Jesus when he accepted the work which Jesus gave him to do. And in sending Judas, Jesus glorified his Father. (John 13:31)<br /><br />Post Script: Judas was a thief, a devil, and lost. (John 12:6; 6:70; 17:12) He covenanted to hand over Jesus after the devil put it into his heart. (Matthew 26:14-16; John 13:2; see Luke 22:3-6) These things indicate he had turned his back on God.<br /><br />Still, I say these things only in my own name.</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-19191998965815581932016-12-14T02:12:00.000-05:002017-05-21T16:19:58.317-04:00The Downside Up World To Come<span style="font-size: large;">Judas Iscariot became a traitor when he made a covenant to hand over Jesus to the the chief priests. Nevertheless, Jesus responded to that first step toward an act of betrayal (he has lifted up his heel against me) by washing the foot whose heel was lifted up against him. The effect of that washing by Jesus was to gain for him his brother.<br /><br />When eventually Judas handed over Jesus to authorities, he did so as a friend/brother/servant of Jesus. In the end, his act of handing over Jesus was not an act of betrayal. In the end, his kiss was a kiss of love.<br /><br />They all misunderstand the Gospels, who think the word “betray” is a correct translation of the original texts. Where in the originals the text is translated “betray,” the texts themselves betray no hint of an act of treachery.<br /><br />After Jesus announced, “One of you shall betray me,” none of his disciples conceded the possibility that he could be disloyal to Jesus, when each asked, “Is it I?” The words of Jesus in the original texts did not denote betrayal, and they did not connote the sense of an act of treachery to his hearers - nor have they until this day, nor will they ever, even until the end of time, to anyone who has ears that hear.<br /><br />The world doesn’t give a damn about any of this, but it is a critical matter for those who have been called out of the world. It is a sign that the world is about to be turned upside down . . . or, rather, downside up.<br /><br />Nevertheless, I say this only in my own name.</span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-30063896738671278792016-03-24T03:49:00.000-04:002016-04-04T19:42:00.544-04:00The Character of Judas Iscariot<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">The Bible is clear on the character of Judas Iscariot, and we should be, too. The Bible says that Judas was the only apostle who was lost. (John 17:12) In the words of Jesus, he was a devil. (John 6:70) In the words of John, he was a thief. (John 12:6) In the words of Luke, he was a traitor. (Luke 6:16) These biblical facts are clear.<br /><br />Our problem is not a lack of clarity on the character of Judas, but a lack of faith in the Son of man who came to save that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11) <i>Jesus came to save Judas Iscariot.</i> We can’t see that Jesus found him, or that Jesus rejoices over him more than over all the others. (Matthew 18:12,13) Therefore, we can't believe that he did and does. That’s our problem. We can't see.<br /><br />Not only is the Bible clear on <i>why</i> Jesus came, it is clear also on <i>when</i> he should act. “And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it [the lost] up again at the last day.” (John 6:39)<br /><br />And the Bible is clear on <i>how</i> Jesus should gain his brother. “Go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15)<br /><br />And the Bible is clear on <i>what</i> Jesus did to begin the last day: he washed the heel that was lifted up against him. And in speaking to Peter directly, he told Judas indirectly that he was not clean. (John 13:10,11) The effect of these acts by Jesus was to cast out the prince of this world, which had put it into the heart of Judas to make a covenant to hand over Jesus to the authorities. (John 12:31; 13:2; Luke 22:3-6)<br /><br />But Martha Christians are much concerned about serving and would deny us the needful thing. (Luke 10:28-32) The needful thing for the Son of man who came to save that which was lost was to save him.<br /><br />The Bible is also clear on <i>what Judas should do</i> after Jesus gained him as his brother: he should eat his bread. The one who lifted up his heel against him is the one he chose to eat his bread, that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 13:18) The Bible is clear on the effect of eating the bread of Jesus. (John 6:26-58) But generally speaking, to eat the bread of another means to cooperate with him.<br /><br />The Bible is clear that no man took the life of Jesus, but Jesus laid down his life with power. (John 10:17,18) As part of his exercise of that power, <i>he</i> chose the apostle who should hand him over to the authorities. (John 13:16-20)<br /><br />The foot washing was a special act of love which, at the time, only Jesus and Judas knew. It was an act of telling a brother his fault and of forgiving him for it. And for the occasion, Jesus gave to Judas a place of honor at the table. And from that place, Judas leaned upon the bosom of Jesus. (John 13:23)<br /><br />Yes, the Bible says that Satan entered into Judas, for the second time, after he received from Jesus the dipped sop. (John 13:27) But the Bible is also clear that Satan was opposed to those things of God which Jesus said should happen at Jerusalem. (Matthew 16:21-23)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br />Thanks to the saving work of Jesus, Judas overcame Satan and glorified Jesus. (John 13:31)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br />Here are some helps:<br /><br />Judas departed choked up with grief. (Matthew 27:5)<br /><br />Judas fell prostrate and cried his heart out. (Acts 1:18)<br /><br />Peter did not ask, “Is it I?,” to the announcement, “One of you shall betray me,” but to the announcement, “One of you shall hand me over.” Peter never conceded the possibility that he could be disloyal to Jesus, and Jesus never said that one of them would “betray” him. The only time Jesus spoke of the covenant Judas made was when he paraphrased the Psalmist, “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.”<br /><br />The Bible is clear, but it is a double edged sword. For those who have faith that the Son of man was successful, it cuts one way. For those who lack that faith, it cuts another.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Nevertheless, I say these things only in my own name. </span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-87913325497092563052014-04-12T15:20:00.000-04:002017-02-23T08:24:13.074-05:00Jesus Never Said "Betray"<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Simon Peter was confident of his loyalty to Jesus, and he was not hesitant to say so, even if it meant contradicting Jesus to his face. When Jesus said that they all would be offended because of him that night, Simon Peter spoke up promptly, “Though all shall be offended because of you, yet will I never be offended.” (Matthew 26:31,33) Then, when Jesus said to Simon that before the cock crow he would deny him three times, again Simon spoke up without hesitation, “Though I should die with you, yet will I not deny you.” (Matthew 26:34,35) This evidence alone, without resort to the strictly semantic argument that the word “betray” is a mistranslation of the Greek, should be sufficient to reject the idea that Jesus said, “One of you shall betray me.” It is incredible that Simon Peter responded to such a statement with the words, “Is it I?” (Matthew 26:21,22)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">What Jesus did say was, “One of you shall deliver me.” That is the statement to which each asked, “Is it I?” His statement conveyed no idea that the act was anything other than an act of cooperation with him. In fact, he described the one who would deliver him as one who was cooperating with him: “He that dips his hand with me in the dish.” (Matthew 26:23; “dips with me in the dish,” Mark 14:20; and “the hand . . . is with me on the table,” Luke 22:21) That is what Jesus said, and that is how his disciples understood his words.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">I suppose that most readers of the gospels have had little or no reason to doubt the tradition that Jesus spoke openly to his disciples that one of them would betray him. Perhaps even after considering this argument they will still have insufficient reason to doubt it. But let the reader beware that the Jesus who said, “One of you shall deliver me,” is not the same Jesus as the one who said, “One of you shall betray me.” The Jesus who said “betray” is the product of imagination under the influence of Satan; and the one who receives that Jesus rejects the other, who came in his father's name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">I do not say that most readers are not called, but I say that Judas Iscariot was chosen to hear and to understand the words of Jesus as most readers have not been chosen heretofore.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Still, all of these things I say only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-48615971001074041682014-03-09T23:40:00.002-04:002014-04-01T20:15:45.559-04:00Why Jesus Washed Feet<span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus washed the feet of his disciples as a response to a trespass against him by one of them, Judas Iscariot. That trespass was the making of a covenant to deliver him to the chief priests. (Matthew 26:14-16) Jesus spoke of it when he paraphrased the psalmist, “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) </span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus achieved four objectives when he staged the scene of the foot washing. First, he told Judas his fault. Second, he showed Judas that he forgave him. Third, he gave his disciples an example of how they should respond to trespasses. Fourth, he set the stage to reveal whom he chose to deliver him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, Jesus needed to respond to the trespass against him just as he taught his disciples to respond if a brother should trespass against them. (Matthew 18:15) He needed to tell Judas his fault privately. As it happened, he improvised upon the interruptions of Simon Peter to speak to Judas indirectly to achieve this objective.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Both Jesus and Judas, and they alone, knew that Judas had lifted up his heel against Jesus. In fact, Judas was actively looking for an opportunity to deliver him. Therefore, Jesus did not need to say to Judas, “Judas, you are not clean;” he needed only to say to Simon Peter, “you are clean, but not all.” (John 13:10,11) He did not need to turn a private matter into a public scandal. Eleven were confused, but one heard and understood; and Jesus maintained privacy. That is the way Jesus responded to the trespass against him. He responded just as he taught his disciples to respond if a brother should trespass against them. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus responded successfully to the trespass, and he gained his brother.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Second, Jesus forgave Judas just as he taught his disciples to forgive those who trespass against them. (Matthew 6:14,15) Having gained his brother, he needed to show him that forgiveness. (Consider the reaction of the father who saw his son when he was yet a great way off – Luke 15:20-24)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus saw that the trespass against him was similar to the trespass against the psalmist. (Psalms 41:9; John 13:18) The psalmist's depiction of the trespass against him, “ [he] has lifted up his heel against me,” linked the trespass with an action of the foot. This linkage is the thing that gave Jesus the idea of a foot washing in the first place. He could show his forgiveness by a symbolical foot washing, and he showed it to Judas as soon as he paraphrased Psalms 41:9. Judas then became specially aware of the cleanness of the heel which he had lifted up against him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Third, Jesus gave his disciples an example of how they should respond to the trespasses of one another. (John 13:14,15) Forgive those who trespass against you. Go to them and tell them their faults privately. If they hear you, show them your forgiveness.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, at that time the disciples did not know what Jesus did, but like Simon Peter, they would know thereafter. (John 13:7)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Fourth, Jesus needed to assign the task of delivering him to the one who should deliver him, that the scripture might be fulfilled.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In gaining his brother Judas, he cast out the devil that put it into his heart to deliver him. (John 12:31; 13:2) If Jesus himself did not now assign the task to Judas, Judas would have defaulted gladly on his obligation under the covenant he made.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was not to be.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Woe to that one.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The hour had come for Jesus to depart out of this world.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No man could take the life of Jesus, but Jesus himself would lay it down. (John 10:18)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The psalmist was betrayed by his own familiar friend who did eat of his bread. Where we see defeat, however, Jesus saw victory. Jesus would fulfill the scripture by turning it around. Jesus would choose the one who had lifted up his heel against him to be his own familiar friend in whom he would trust to eat of his bread.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. (John 13:26)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I offer these ideas only in my own name, but still I hope they are not received as by the elder son. (Luke 15:25-32)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">P.S. Link to <a href="http://www.inmyownname.com/search?updated-max=2012-04-11T15:03:00-04:00&amp;max-results=1">The Foot Washing (A Poem)</a> </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-5637521045930741882014-02-21T00:19:00.000-05:002014-04-13T00:55:54.267-04:00From Foot Washing To Apostle (A Commentary)<span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of John begins by leading us to anticipate the narration of a special act of love. (John 13:1) Then, it reveals to us a need for such an act (John 13:2), and progresses quickly into the narration of a foot washing. (John 13:4-15) It never tells us explicitly that the foot washing is the response of Jesus to the heel lifted up against him. It leaves us on our own to see and to believe that Jesus thereby cast out the prince of this world (John 12:31)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:15 “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:15 concludes the narration of the foot washing.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although Jesus identified the foot washing as an example of what his disciples should do, he gave them no explicit explanation of what he did when he washed their feet. His allusion to an uncleanness within the group (John 13:10) was not sufficient information for them to ascertain what he did. Like Simon, the others, too, would learn what he did “hereafter.” (John 13:7)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:16 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:16 begins the narration of Jesus assigning to one of the twelve the task of delivering him. He would send his apostle to the chief priests to serve as guide for those who would take him.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After Jesus would be delivered, he would be tried, convicted, executed and buried, all within a day. To help prepare his deliverer for what he would suffer from his sense of responsibility for the initiation of that chain of events, Jesus claimed for himself the greater responsibility, because he was the one who sent his apostle to deliver him.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His previous claim for responsibility prevails also for the case of the one who delivered him. (John 10:17,18)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:17 “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">We identify the things to which Jesus refers with great difficulty. They are found in the next verse.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:18 “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">First, he limited the applicability of his words to the one whom he had chosen to deliver him. Next, he gave fulfillment of scripture as reason to support his choice.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although he paraphrased Psalms 41:9, a lamentation for the treachery of a close friend, his words meant something completely different than the words of the psalmist by virtue of his teaching.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you know what “eats bread with me” means, and if you know what “has lifted up his heel against me” means, and if you do these things, then you will be blessed. Of course, he was speaking to the one who had already lifted up his heel against him, to the one who had already made a covenant to deliver him, after the devil put it into his heart. Of course, too, the blessing would follow not because he had lifted up his heel against him, but despite that thing.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus gave new meaning to the words “eats bread with me” when he taught, “I have meat to eat that you know not of. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (See John 4:32,34, where “meat,” like “bread” here, means “that which is eaten.” For the synonymous use of the words “meat” and “bread” by Jesus, compare John 6:48 and John 6:55) Thus, by virtue of his teaching, the words “eats bread with me” meant “works with me as I finish his work.” The blessing would follow because he had eaten bread with Jesus, because he had discerned the work which Jesus was doing and cooperated with him in finishing it.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:19 “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus added that he was telling them these things now so that, after they were done, they might believe that Jesus was all he said he was.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:20 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whomsoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The chief priests, in receiving the one whom Jesus sent to deliver him, received Jesus, who delivered himself to them in this manner. The apostle, in accepting the task for which Jesus had chosen him, received Jesus and him that sent him. (John 10:30; John 17:21)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:21 “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall deliver (not betray) me.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus now told them plainly the task to be done. He knew not only that he would go as it was written of him, but he knew also that the one he chose to deliver him would suffer. He described that suffering by a sentiment: “it had been good for that man if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24) It troubled him to assign to that man the task that would lead to that suffering.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:22 “Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He told them all plainly the thing that should be done. Who should do it, however, he told only him.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:23 “Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This is the first mention in scripture of “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” That the evangelist knew his name can hardly be doubted. For this reason, we conclude that the evangelist concealed his name deliberately.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The disciple whom Jesus loved was the disciple on whose behalf he had just performed the special act of love, the foot washing. Jesus had washed the heel lifted up against him to symbolize his forgiveness for that trespass against him. Thereby Jesus cast out the devil which had put it into his heart to deliver him and left him with no desire to deliver him.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:24 “Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seeing the others looking questioningly at one another, Simon Peter made a bid to discover the answer.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:25 “He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The disciple whom Jesus loved advanced the bid of Simon Peter.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:26 “Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The bid paid off for the disciple whom Jesus loved – he knew then who should deliver Jesus. The evangelist gives us this information. When this information is combined with information he gives us later, it will allow us to deduce a name for the disciple whom Jesus loved, a name which otherwise is concealed deliberately.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:27 “And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That you do, do quickly.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus never said that Satan could not be divided against himself, but he asked, “how then shall his kingdom stand?” (Luke 11:18) We do not say that Satan's kingdom shall stand.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Previously, Satan entered into Judas; and, after the devil put it into his heart, Judas made a covenant to deliver Jesus. (Luke 22:3,4; John 13:2) Here, Satan entered into Judas for the second time, but nothing is written about how he influenced him here. The reader of the Gospel must determine this for himself.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus said, “Now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) He was anticipating the effect of washing the heel that was lifted up against him. Now, Satan had to enter into Judas for a second time because he was cast out of him just minutes before. This time, however, Jesus himself had already put it into the heart of Judas to deliver him. Satan did not now get behind Jesus, but now his influence was to remove from the heart of Judas the influence of Jesus.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus did not compel Judas to deliver him, but he gave him a choice: “That you do.”</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:28 “Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Here, the evangelist gives us additional information which we may use to deduce the name otherwise concealed. Either the disciple whom Jesus loved failed to follow the thinking of Jesus at this critical moment, or he was not at the table.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Looking ahead for the next bit of information the evangelist will give us, we learn that one of them was not at the table, but he had gone out immediately after Jesus said, “That you do, do quickly.” (John 13:30)</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If the disciple whom Jesus loved followed the thinking of Jesus, then we deduce that he was not at the table and that his name was Judas Iscariot.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:29 “For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judas had the bag because he was the errand boy. Therefore, some of them thought Jesus sent him out to run one errand or another.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:30 “He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judas overcame Satan, who worked within him now to make him refuse the task of delivering Jesus. Although he went out into the darkness of night, he walked while the light was still with him. (John 12:35)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">John 13:31 “Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The apostle glorified the son of man because he accepted the work he gave him. The son of man glorified God because, in sending his apostle to deliver him, he accepted the work He gave him. (John 17:4) The two together, each with his own degree of responsibility, initiated the chain of events for which Jesus came. (John 12:27)</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I offer this commentary only in my own name.</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">P. S. Link to the poem, <a href="http://www.inmyownname.com/search?updated-max=2012-05-24T08:47:00-04:00&amp;max-results=1&amp;start=1&amp;by-date=false">From Foot Washing To Apostle (A Poem)</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-71592172951662611832014-01-12T05:23:00.000-05:002014-01-12T05:49:50.083-05:00Judas Iscariot: Errand Boy, Not Treasurer<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Because Judas had the bag, some of the disciples of Jesus thought Jesus told him to run one errand or another for the group at John 13:27,28,29. If we consider their thoughts conversely, then Judas had the bag because he ran errands for the group. This is the scriptural support for the idea that the role of Judas in the group was errand boy. This idea is thus more fully supported by scripture than the idea that he was treasurer for the group, an idea supported only by the fact that he had the bag.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The establishment of an office of treasurer would be an act of formality not characteristic of Jesus, a man not given to formalism. In fact, when we consider it from this perspective, the idea that the group of Jesus and his disciples had officers – a president, a secretary, or a treasurer – is comical.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Beyond this, when we understand that Judas was only an errand boy, then we see an additional aspect of Judas in which he was the least of those given to Jesus by his Father (he was also a devil, a thief, and the only one lost). It is another aspect of Judas that adds to our marvel that he should be the greatest.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I offer these ideas only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-60402338730079258122013-08-18T11:23:00.000-04:002016-03-04T04:58:50.410-05:00Jesus As Orchestrator<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Sometimes Jesus cited scripture to show others what they must do to fulfill it. Such is the case at Mark 14:27 (Matthew 26:31).</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">The reason Jesus said, “ it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered,” was to orchestrate the behavior of the eleven to achieve the desired result that nothing be lost. (John 18:9)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">The fleeing of the disciples from the scene of the arrest was not a failure of the disciples to be loyal to Jesus, as it has been misunderstood to be by Christians and non-Christians alike, but it was a success by them in discerning the will of Jesus and in denying themselves in order to follow him. (Matthew 16:24)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">The disciples of Jesus loved him and wanted to prove their loyalty to him. They wanted to stand by him as he faced his adversaries. They all said, “If I should die with you, I will not deny you in any wise.” (Mark 14:31) When they said it, though, they did not realize that if they should die with him willingly, they would be denying him selfishly by that act – they would be savoring neither a thing of God, who scripted the scattering, nor a thing of Jesus, who saw in it the achievement of the result that nothing be lost – they would be savoring a thing of men. This is why they were offended in him: He denied them the opportunity to stand with him and fight, to demonstrate their loyalty in a way that men understand.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">When Jesus said, “it is written . . . ,” he established a cue to signal them to scatter. When it became necessary that they scatter, Jesus said, “ . . . but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” (Mark 14:49b) “And they all forsook him and fled.” (Mark 14:50) It is unlikely that they understood that they had to flee in order to follow him until he cued them, until he told them that what was written must be fulfilled. This is obviously true of Simon Peter, who, before Jesus cued them, attacked Malchus, the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. (John 18:10) Nevertheless, when he cued them, they forsook him physically to be with him spiritually. They obeyed his declaration that what was written must be fulfilled.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Today, those who say that the disciples of Jesus were deficient in their duty to him when they fled from the scene of the arrest are guilty of savoring not the thing of God, but that of men. As a consequence, they judge the disciples of Jesus in this matter according not to righteous judgment, but to appearance.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">If you have difficulty understanding the case of Mark 14:27 as an example of Jesus orchestrating the behavior of the eleven, it is unlikely you will readily understand the case of John 13:18 as an example of Jesus orchestrating the behavior of the one.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;">Nevertheless, I make this declaration only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: &quot;georgia&quot; , &quot;times new roman&quot; , serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-84598029431608967542013-03-17T01:05:00.001-04:002013-03-17T01:05:15.460-04:00How Think Ye, If A Man Have Twelve?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Arising from the table, Jesus left the eleven to go into the wilderness to search out and return the one which had gone astray. Laying aside his garments, girding himself with a towel, pouring water into a basin, and beginning to wash the feet of his disciples: these were the steps Jesus took on his journey to the wilderness. </span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">“You are not all clean,” he said, but he was beyond the range within which the eleven could hear and comprehend his words. “You are not all clean,” his words echoed clearly in the wilderness, but only the one whose heel was lifted up against him heard and comprehended those words, because he alone was in that wilderness where Jesus was calling. The spirit of the words of Jesus was not, “Now you have done it,” but the spirit of his words was, “Come.” They were the words of the good shepherd.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">His sheep heard his voice and came, and Jesus washed the heel that was lifted up against him. Thereafter, his sheep followed him to the finish. When Judas heard the voice of Satan within him again, he heard it as the voice of a stranger. Satan was opposed to those things which Jesus said must happen at Jerusalem. God, not Satan, delivered his son for the life of the world.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I offer this understanding of the foot washing only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-25367812061119335012013-03-17T01:04:00.001-04:002013-04-07T22:07:59.873-04:00Judas Iscariot (Where Greatest Was Need) - A Poem<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Jesus did not dismiss the importance of service to others when he denied Martha her request to send Mary to help serve the guests of the house, but he pointed out that there was one thing needful which Mary had chosen, and which he would not deny her. (Luke 10:38-42)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">When the hour came for Jesus to depart out of this world unto his father, one of those given to him by his father was lost and bound to serve destruction. For the son of man who came to save that which was lost, one thing was needful before he departed out of this world: to save that which was lost. How dare we deny him! (John 17:12; Matthew 18:11)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">As Jesus put it, “How think ye, if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray?” (Matthew 18:12-14)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">In washing the feet of his disciples, Jesus left the eleven and went after that which was lost. (see next “newer post,” “How Think Ye, If A Man Have Twelve?”)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Here is a poem for those who do not believe it.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Judas Iscariot (Where Greatest Was Need)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So little their faith that the lost He did save,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; it's not part of life but belongs in the grave.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Were it only as large as the smallest of seed,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; they'd believe His success where greatest was need.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The heel lifted up they saw rightly not clean;</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; the reason He washed it they can't seem to glean.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Were only their faith as the smallest of seed,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; they'd believe His success where greatest was need.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Was He delivered by Satan or God?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They want it both ways, and think it not odd.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Were only their faith as the smallest of seed,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; they'd believe His success where greatest was need.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; If “take up his cross” were words Judas heard,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; his hanging of self should not seem absurd.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Were only their faith as the smallest of seed,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; they'd believe His success where greatest was need.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Thirty pieces of silver they say sold Him short,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; but selling His failure's the sale He'll abort.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Were only their faith as the smallest of seed,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; they'd believe His success where greatest was need.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I taunt them only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-63119394850229224152013-02-07T06:30:00.000-05:002013-06-17T06:05:58.009-04:00Foot Washing Eye Test Charts<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">How is your vision<span style="font-size: large;">?</span> What do you "see" when you read the account of the foot washing in the thirteenth chapter of the Gospel of John? </span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; Foot Washing Eye Test Charts:</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Traditional (left),&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; and inmyownname (right)</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P10fm-WTBwk/UROJ4ycoY6I/AAAAAAAAAQI/xDJrR1nBJ-A/s1600/finaleyechart2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P10fm-WTBwk/UROJ4ycoY6I/AAAAAAAAAQI/xDJrR1nBJ-A/s1600/finaleyechart2.JPG" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If you can not "see" the example given by the inmyownname eye chart test, <span style="font-size: large;">t</span>hen you are blind in part at least. You <span style="font-size: large;">can not "see" the response of Jesus to the heel lifted up against him.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can not "see" that Jesus gained his brother. (Matthew 18:15)</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can not "see" that Jesus raised him up at the last day. (John 6:39)</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can not "see" that Jesus converted a covenant-made into a cross-to-be-taken-up. (Matthew 16:24,25,26)</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can not "see" th<span style="font-size: large;">at Jesus overcame the work of the devil which entered Judas. (John 17:2)</span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">You can not "see"&nbsp;</span> </span>that the Son of man saved that which was lost. (Matthew 18:11)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">You can not "see" that Jesus laid down his life with power. (John 10:18)</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span> <br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, I <span style="font-size: large;">give this eye test only in my own name.</span></span></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-49044115533158138192013-01-28T04:06:00.000-05:002013-01-28T04:09:38.756-05:00"Killed Himself," or "Suffered Woe"?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>The Inconsistent Portrayals Of The Death Of Judas</u></span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The underlined words in the passages below have been understood as portrayals of the death of Judas Iscariot. Taken as such, some readers consider the portrayals to be inconsistent with one another.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Matthew 27:3-5</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(3) Then Judas, which had delivered him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(4) Saying, I have sinned in delivering the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(5) And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and <span style="color: blue;"><u>went and hanged himself</u></span><span style="color: black;"><u>.</u></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Acts 1:16-18</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(16) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(17) For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(18) Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and <span style="color: blue;"><u>falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out</u></span><span style="color: black;"><u>.</u></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Explaining The Inconsistent Portrayals</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">One way to explain the inconsistency of the portrayals is to discover in them the use of figurative language. Thus Matthew's, “went and hanged himself,” is not to be taken literally, but figuratively; and the same holds true for Act's, “falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.”</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>“Hanged Himself,” Or “Choked Up”?</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">In Matthew, the word translated “hanged himself” is <i><span style="text-decoration: none;">apanchomai</span></i>. Figuratively, it means choked up, as with grief.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Matthew 27:5 might be translated something like, <span style="color: blue;">“And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, withdrew himself, and departed all choked up with grief.”</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Matthew, in this manner, leaves us with a word picture of Judas suffering the woe which Jesus foretold: “woe to that man by whom the Son of man is delivered.” (Matthew 26:24)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Others Have Discussed Figurative Translations Of Matthew 27:5</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">According to Albert Barnes' <u>Notes on the Bible</u>, “The word used in the original, here, has given rise to much discussion, whether it means that he was suffocated or strangled by his great grief, or whether he took his life by suspending himself.”</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">According to <u>The Expositor's Greek Testament</u>, “[Hugo] Grotius suggests the verb [<i>apanchomai</i><span style="font-style: normal;">]</span>points to death by grief,” but death is not implicit in the verb. The same holds true for Gilbert Wakefield's interpretation in <a href="http://www.preteristarchive.com/Books/pdf/1820_wakefield_translation-nt.pdf"><u>Translation of the New Testament</u></a>: “Then he threw down the pieces of money in the temple, and withdrew: and, after his departure, was choked with anguish.”</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>“His Bowels Gushed Out,” Or “He Wept”?</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">In Acts, the word translated “bowels” is <i>splanchnon</i>. Elsewhere in the New Testament, it is always translated figuratively. The bowels were regarded by the Hebrews as the seat of the tender affections (compassion, for example).</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>An Example From The Hebrew Bible</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Consider the reunion of Joseph with his younger brother Benjamin, whom he had not seen since before he was sold into slavery:</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Genesis 43:29-31</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(29) And he lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother's son, and said [to Judah and his other brothers], Is this your younger brother, of whom you spoke to me? And he said, God be gracious to you, my son.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(30) And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, and wept there.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">(31) And he washed his face, and went out, and refrained himself, and said, Set on bread.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The expression, “his bowels did yearn,” means that he experienced feelings which the Hebrews associated with the bowels. Joseph made haste because sometimes expression of those feelings can not be refrained, but bursts forth suddenly and, sometimes, uncontrollably (into weeping, for example).</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Judas Saw That Jesus Was Condemned</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Judas' bowels yearned upon seeing the condemnation of Jesus. As the events of the last day progressed, his grief overwhelmed him.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Acts 1:18b might be translated something like, <span style="color: blue;">“falling prostrate, he burst into weeping, and he wept himself into a state of exhaustion.”</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Acts, too, leaves us with a word picture of Judas suffering the woe which Jesus foretold: “And truly the Son of man goes as it was determined, but woe unto that man by whom he is delivered!” (Luke 22:22)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Conclusion</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Not only does discovering figurative language in our texts explain their inconsistency at the literal level of meaning, it also does away with the idea that Judas killed himself, even the idea that he died in some other way.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">It seems that every participant in the discussion of <i><span style="text-decoration: none;">apanchomai</span></i>has believed that Judas <u>betrayed</u> Jesus with a kiss. That belief made it easier for them to believe that Judas killed himself, or died some other way. No participant in the discussion has believed that Jesus responded successfully to the trespass against him. None has believed that Jesus raised up Judas at the last day, as he said he would. (John 6:39)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">This blog joins the discussion with the belief that Judas <u>served</u> Jesus with a kiss, that <u>Jesus was successful</u> in his response to the trespass against him, and that <u>Jesus raised up Judas at the last day</u> of his life, as he said he would. These beliefs make it more difficult to believe that Judas killed himself, even that he died some other way.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Still, I offer these beliefs only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-27010839065820527862013-01-18T18:40:00.000-05:002013-01-18T18:54:35.123-05:00The Concealment<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The unidentified writer of John 21:24 commends the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved to us, writing, “we know that his testimony is true.” Such confidence in the disciple suggests that the writer knew him – knew who he was. If true, then we conclude that the writer deliberately concealed his identity from us; that is, the writer did not just forget to mention the disciples name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The idea that Judas Iscariot is the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved is often discounted by a consideration of the narrative of the first appearance of the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved. (John 13:20-26)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whomsoever I send receives me; and he that receives me receives him that sent me. 21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall deliver me. 22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 <span style="color: blue;">Simon</span> Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of <span style="color: blue;">Simon</span>.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">In the narrative, the writer presents the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved and Judas Iscariot as two separate characters. The two characters could only be the same person if the writer deliberately concealed the identity of the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved. Significantly, this is the conclusion we made independently by a consideration of the narrative of the last appearance of the-disciple-whom-Jesus-loved (John 21:24); and it is a fitting conclusion for a work of scripture devoted to a God whose glory it is to conceal a matter.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><a href="http://www.inmyownname.com/search?updated-max=2012-03-30T10:45:00-04:00&amp;max-results=1">Why was Judas Iscariot the disciple whom Jesus loved?</a> Click on the question for the answer.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Still, I offer these ideas only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-44861546586149022682013-01-17T02:06:00.000-05:002013-01-17T02:06:34.048-05:00Rhetorical Question Format <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Was Jesus a hypocrite?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">When did Jesus go to Judas Iscariot and tell him his fault between him and Judas alone, as he taught his disciples to respond to the trespass of a brother?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">When did Jesus forgive Judas his trespass, as he taught his disciples to forgive the trespasses of others?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is there any doubt Jesus washed the heel lifted up against him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is there any doubt about the effectiveness of a washing by Jesus?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Why has the obvious symbolic meaning been ignored, the symbolic meaning which shows that Jesus was not a hypocrite?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is it because he washed everyone's feet as a ruse to maintain confidentiality in his response to the trespass against him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is it because afterward Judas served as guide to those who arrested Jesus and went and hanged himself – not obviously acts of service to Jesus?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Are we willing to say <u>Jesus was not able</u> to remove the influence of the devil that put into the heart of Judas to deliver him – either that that removal would have required even more prayer and fasting than Jesus himself had performed, or that that removal was just absolutely impossible for Jesus to achieve?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If Jesus removed the influence of the devil from the heart of Judas, what attitude then would Judas have toward the covenant he made to deliver Jesus?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Would Judas continue to look for an opportunity to deliver him, or would he look to Jesus for instruction on what he should do?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If he looked to Jesus for instruction, what instruction would Jesus give him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is it inconceivable that Jesus would instruct Judas to fulfill his obligation under the covenant he made, that the scripture might be fulfilled?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Consider this exchange:</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus: One of you shall deliver me.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Judas: Master, is it I?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus: You have said.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Does not, “You have said,” mean, “Yes, you shall deliver me”?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Can it be ruled out that the words of Jesus were an instruction given to Judas?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">After the exchange, could it be said that Judas followed Jesus, if he refused to deliver him, and thereby proved that Jesus was mistaken, when he said that he would deliver him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">In particular, if Judas adopted the words of Simon Peter, “Lord, this shall not be unto you,” as his next response in the exchange, then does Jesus not respond as he did to Simon Peter, “Get thee behind me, Satan”?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Wasn't the making of the covenant a sin only because it was made in a spirit of ill will?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If God delivered Jesus, and if Jesus delivered himself, can the act of delivering him, in and of itself, be a sin?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Did not Jesus teach that the things that were about to happen at Jerusalem were things of God?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Once the covenant was made, could not the obligation of Judas under the covenant be met without </span><span style="color: blue;"><u>additional</u></span><span style="color: blue;">sin if it was met pursuant to an instruction of Jesus?</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If Jesus was not ready to denounce those things that he taught should happen at Jerusalem, why would he not want Judas to deliver him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Would Jesus prefer to deliver himself directly and thus do away with the need for an apostle to deliver him?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Would that approach be consistent with scripture?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If Jesus removed the influence of the devil from Judas, and then he himself instructed Judas to deliver him, then would not the influence of Satan be to oppose the deliverance of Jesus, when Satan entered Judas for the second time, as he did at John 13:27?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is it inconceivable that the success of Jesus led to Satan being divided against Satan?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Which of the following things are of God, according to Matthew 16:21-23?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus should be delivered to the chief priests.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus should suffer many things of the elders, and chief priests, and scribes.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus should be killed.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"> Jesus should be raised again.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Is it inconceivable that the kingdom of Satan, even though it was divided against itself by the work of Jesus, continues to stand today because men have savored, and continue to savor, not the things that be of God, but those that be of men?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Has not the condemnation of Judas, for his act of delivering Jesus, been chief among the things of men which the world has savored?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Because the world has not believed on him who said, “I am come to save that which was lost,” shall it not be reproved of sin?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Because the world does not see Jesus, shall it not be reproved of righteousness?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Because the world has judged the prince of this world, shall it not be reproved of judgment?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I offer these questions only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-19671844369516576202013-01-17T01:49:00.000-05:002013-01-17T01:49:11.546-05:00Jesus Gained His Brother: Evidence <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>A Trespass Against Jesus</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Shortly before the last supper, the supper at which Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, Judas made a covenant to deliver Jesus to the chief priests, after the devil put it into his heart. (Matthew 26:14-15; John 13:2) Thereafter, he looked for an opportunity to deliver him. (Matthew 26:16) The making of the covenant to deliver Jesus was a trespass against him. (John 13:18)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>After The Trespass, The Ball Was In Jesus' Court</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Judas alone among the twelve was lost and in danger of destruction. (John 17:12) If Jesus was true in his declaration that he came to save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11), and if Jesus was true in his declaration that he should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day (John 6:39), then the time had come at last for Jesus to act (John 13:1) – it was the beginning of the last day.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Beyond raising up Judas, much work remained: He had still to be arrested, tried and condemned, killed, and buried – all before the end of the day. What he would do, he would need to do quickly.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>How Would Jesus Respond To A Trespass Against Him?</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Jesus taught his disciples how to respond if a brother should trespass against them. (Matthew 18:15-17)</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">He did not say give hints to your brother that you are aware of his trespass, and then wait for his confession and plea for forgiveness – as some think Jesus himself did at verses like Matthew 26:21, where he merely spoke to inform them that one of them would deliver him. He did not say give warnings to your brother about the disastrous consequences of his trespass, thus giving him a chance to repent and ask for forgiveness – as some think Jesus himself did at verses like Matthew 26:24, where he merely spoke to prepare the deliverer for what he would experience. No, he did not teach these things.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">He said go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouths of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the assembly: but if he neglect to hear the assembly, let him be unto you as an heathen man and a publican.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Could Jesus respond successfully to the trespass against him by following his own teaching?</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Jesus Spoke To His Apostles, And Jesus Spoke To Judas Alone</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">At the beginning of the last supper, Judas was still looking for an opportunity to deliver Jesus. We may be sure that he was conscious of his trespass against Jesus, as Jesus began to wash their feet. We may be sure, too, that Jesus was conscious of the trespass because he spoke of it metaphorically just after he washed their feet: “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.”</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Consciousness of the trespass, which Judas and Jesus alone shared, allowed Jesus to speak to Judas at a level of meaning not comprehensible to the others, as he spoke to the others at another level of meaning. Understanding the foot washing as a response to the trespass requires hearing the words of Jesus at the level of meaning he spoke to Judas alone.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Jesus spoke obliquely to Judas when he told Simon Peter that they (the twelve) were not all clean. (John 13:10) The Gospel explains to us that Jesus spoke <u>of</u> the one who should deliver him. (John 13:11) We may conclude that he spoke <u>to</u>the one who should deliver him, when we consider the consciousness of the trespass which the two shared.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Did Judas Hear Him?</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">If Judas had not heard Jesus, then Jesus, in order to follow his own teaching, would have needed next to recruit witnesses that in their mouths every word might be established. Jesus, however, never spoke of the trespass against him to anyone other than Judas himself.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">When he told the twelve that one of them would deliver him, his words conveyed no allusion to a trespass. He did not need to speak of the trespass to anyone else because Judas heard him, as he knew he would.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>Jesus Gained His Brother</u></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The fact that Jesus never recruited witnesses for his response to the trespass of Judas is evidence that he was successful after the first step of his response. That being the case, we may conclude with Jesus that he gained his brother.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Nevertheless, I offer this argument only in my own name.</span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-2147747708470348382012-10-01T00:12:00.001-04:002012-10-19T06:41:52.747-04:00The Difference Between Betray And Deliver<div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">DIFFERENT GOSPELS, SAME WORDS</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sometimes, in different Gospels, the narratives of the same event use the exact same words. So it is for the case when Jesus, while going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and told them what was going to happen at Jerusalem.</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Here is the wording shared by Mark 10:33 and Matthew 20:18:</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">“ιδου αναβαινομεν εις ιεροσολυμα και ο υιος του ανθρωπου <u>παραδοθησεται</u> τοις αρχιερευσιν και γραμματευσιν και κατακρινουσιν αυτον θανατω”</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Here is the wording shared by the English translations (KJV) of Mark 10:33 and Matthew 20:18:</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">“we go up to Jerusalem: and the Son of man ________ unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death.”</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">SAME WORD, DIFFERENT TRANSLATIONS</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">The blank space marks the place for the translation of the underlined word in the Greek quotation. The translation of that word in Mark reads, “shall be delivered,” but the translation in Matthew reads, “shall be betrayed.” </span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">AN ERROR? . . . YES AND NO!</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Although the inconsistent translations of the underlined word reveal mistaken comprehension of the truth, they do not do so within the traditional conception of the betrayal. That conception, to a large degree, regards the act of delivering Jesus as the essential act of betraying him. In other words, within the tradition, the words “deliver” and “betray” are nearly synonymous.</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">USING THIS DISCOVERY</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Since the tradition allows this arbitrariness of translation, readers of the Gospels might replace every instance of the word “betray” (and its inflective forms) with the word “deliver” (and its inflective forms.) For example, they might replace “betray” with “deliver,” “betrayed” with “delivered,” “betrayer” with “deliverer,” etc. Of course, they might make those replacements just because they are the better translations.</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">NEARLY SYNONYMOUS AT BEST</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Performance of this exercise, even under the influence of the traditional understanding of the betrayal, </span><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">can</span></u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">lead to the better reading. For example, at Matthew 26:16, just after we read that Judas betrayed Jesus by offering aid to his adversaries and by making a covenant to give that aid, we read, “And from that time, he sought opportunity to betray him.” Clearly, that which he sought was not opportunity to betray him, but opportunity to “deliver” him – to fulfill his obligation under the covenant of betrayal which he had just made. See also the post, <a href="http://www.inmyownname.com/search?updated-max=2012-05-01T09:53:00-04:00&amp;max-results=1">“One Of You Shall Betray Me? . . . Ridiculous!”</a></span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">DELIVERING JESUS WAS NOT A SIN</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">Theologically, God was the primary deliverer of Jesus. Therefore, no sin should be attributed to the act of delivering Jesus in itself. This fact seems to create a problem when the replacement exercise is performed at Matthew 27:4.</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">THE SIN OF JUDAS</span></u></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">If delivering Jesus was not a sin in itself, then the confession of sin by Judas at Matthew 27:4 seems to demand the translation “betray,” the translation which carries the pejorative connotation. Nevertheless, the replacement should be made here, too. </span></span><span style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255);">The choice of who should deliver Jesus was determined by Scripture to be the one who had lifted up his heel against him (Matthew 26:25; John 13:18), and it is for this underlying reason that Judas attributed sin to his act of delivering Jesus. God did not make Judas lift up his heel against Jesus (make the covenant to deliver him), and it is to that act of lifting up his heel against Jesus that sin is attributed. Again, this is the reason that Judas confessed sin in delivering Jesus in spite of the fact that delivering him, in itself, was not a sin.</span></span></span></div><div style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% rgb(255, 255, 255); margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>THE INNOCENCE OF JUDAS</u></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">When Jesus spoke to Judas, “That which you do, do quickly,” he was not commissioning him to sin. Judas had already sinned, and Jesus had already confronted him about it and forgiven him for it. Rather, Jesus was summoning him to take up his cross and to follow him, knowing that that cross would be the implement upon which he (Judas), after being baptized into his (Jesus') death, would crucify his old man. In other words, the woe of Judas, of which Jesus had forewarned him, led him to repentance unto salvation. Thus he hanged himself on his cross after he restored that which he took not away, and after he confessed to men the innocence of Jesus. Because Judas confessed the innocence of Jesus unto men, and because Jesus said that he would, Jesus confessed to his Father the innocence of Judas. Let no man call unclean that which <u>was</u> unclean, after God has cleansed it – the heel which was lifted up against Jesus. To that end, remember the assertion of Jesus, that he did only those things which he saw with his Father.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><u>MAKING A DIFFERENCE</u></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The exercise of replacing the word “betray” with the word “deliver” should help readers overcome the bias created by the pejorative connotation of the word “betray.” Then, when they read the words of Jesus, “Judas, do you deliver the Son of man with a kiss?,” they may more likely understand that Jesus was not speaking of treachery, too, but irony alone. The difference is the difference between misunderstanding and understanding.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">It is written that to those who have, more shall be given; but to those who have not, that which they have shall be taken away. To have misunderstanding is to have not. That the Scripture might be fulfilled. . .</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I offer these ideas <u>only</u> in my own name.</span></span></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-29193645253695110512012-09-30T23:59:00.001-04:002012-10-19T07:13:12.114-04:00Good Had He Not Been Born?<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Matthew 26:21-25 (21) And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall deliver me. (22) And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I? (23) And he answered and said, He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall deliver me. (24) The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is delivered! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. (25) Then Judas, which delivered him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.</span></span><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">GOOD FOR THAT MAN IF HE HAD NOT BEEN BORN??</span></span></u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The statement expresses a sentiment, not a logical proposition. It derives from the writings of Scripture, not those of Greek philosophers. Accordingly, it supports neither a logical conclusion that individual consciousnesses suffer eternally, nor a logical conclusion that Judas is in hell.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Coming as it does in the wake of a warning of extreme woe, perhaps it refers back to the story of Job. In that case, the suffering which leads the sufferer to curse the day of his birth is not attributed to divine retribution, but to divine permission given to Satan to work evil in the life of one who would be honored in the end. Or perhaps it refers back to the consideration of the son of David, king over Israel in Jerusalem, that better is he who has not been, who has not seen the evil works done under the sun.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">All things were given into the hands of Jesus. That Scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus chose and sent to deliver him the one who had lifted up his heel against him. He washed that heel just prior to intimating to him his choice and the reason for his choice.</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">As he was not remiss before – preparing the twelve for what they would experience when he sent them out to preach the good news that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, so he was not remiss now – preparing the one for what he would experience when he sent him out to deliver him. The woe that Judas experienced was comparable to the Passion, and Jesus made that comparison to prepare him for it. Subsequently,&nbsp; as Jesus knew it would, that woe led Judas to repentance unto salvation – Judas crucified his old man.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">These ideas represent a paradigm apart from the tradition which was given to us.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">I offer them only in my own name.</span></span></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-5884367413223616492012-09-11T15:17:00.000-04:002012-10-19T08:02:33.812-04:00How Jesus Used Psalms 41:9<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">By virtue of the foot washing, the influence of the devil was removed from the heart of Judas. After the foot washing, Judas felt no desire to deliver Jesus. If Jesus had left the matter at that, Judas would have defaulted on his obligation to deliver him under the covenant he made. He would have gone to the chief priests at a later date, offered an explanation that he found no opportunity to deliver him, and returned his hire.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">However, the time had come for Jesus to deliver himself to the chief priests – to suffer many things of them, and to be killed, and to be raised again. This was the cup which his Father gave him to drink, and this was the bread which his Father gave him to eat. The bread of Jesus was to do the will of Him that sent him and to finish His work.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">All things were given into the hands of Jesus. To deliver himself, he chose one of the twelve to serve as guide for those who arrested him. He regarded the acceptance of that task as an act of cooperation with him, an act of eating his bread with him – the bread which his Father had given him to eat. Jesus used Scripture to determine whom he should choose to eat this bread with him. He used Psalms 41:9, and in accordance with the psalm, he chose the one who had lifted up his heel against him. Thus we read:</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Already, the heel had been lifted up against Jesus. For the scripture to be fulfilled, and the contingent blessing to be realized, the one whose heel was lifted up needed next to eat the bread of Jesus with him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The world believes that the words of Jesus, “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen,” excluded Judas from participation in this particular blessing. In fact, the words excluded everyone else. Judas alone was chosen to deliver him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">The devil for evil put into the heart of Judas to deliver Jesus. Jesus removed that influence of the devil from his heart. Then, Jesus for good put into the heart of Judas to deliver him. This is the basis for the gospel of Judas.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Of course, Judas had a choice. When Jesus identified him as the one who should deliver him, he could have just said no. That's what the world thinks he should have done.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">Saving Judas did not entail preventing him from delivering Jesus. No. Jesus knew from the beginning that Judas would deliver him; that fact could not be changed. Saving Judas entailed only changing what was in his heart – his motivation for delivering him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">By just saying no, Judas could have gained the whole world; but what then, as Jesus put it, would he give in exchange for his soul?</span></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;">&nbsp;These ideas are offered only in my own name.</span></span>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-66249739968154029492012-08-02T08:29:00.000-04:002013-02-14T14:38:46.677-05:00Judas Iscariot Poems<br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Foot Washing</span></span> <br /><br /><div dir="LTR" id="post-body-7231431690323995575"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus knew the hour had come that soon He should depart<span style="font-size: large;">;</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He loved them all unto the last, him tugging at His heart.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The devil having done his thing, his heel was lifted up;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">b</span>ut this thing, too, was given <span style="font-size: large;">H</span>im – and us if we would sup.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He laid His garments to the side; a towel He made His girdle.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With water in a basin now, He'd overcome this hurdle.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Their feet He took them in His hands and washed them everyone;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He washed their feet though they were clean except for Simon's son.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He came to Simon, Peter said, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What I do now you do not know.” Be patient. Keep your seat.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Never shall you wash my feet.” I'll never stand for that.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">If not, with Me you'll have no part.” You don't know what I'm at.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not just my feet. My hands! My head!” With you I need my part.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Before He spoke, Jude noticed this, his way His eyes did dart.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Who's bathed needs nothing else to do, he's clean as clean can be;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but you're not all.” Jude has his fault, but just the two could see.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The covenant was made in stealth, so only he would know.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The darting eyes spoke otherwise; here's what those eyes did show:</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They showed that Jesus knew the tale that only Jude should tell;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and this He kept between them two, He'd taught them this as well.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd taught them, “If a brother fail, to him go tell his fault.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And more than that, for your sake too, forgive him as you ought.”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So now His eyes accomplished this, His washing did it too.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Examples of these lessons here, He gave for me and you.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But if our heart is hardened, against those we have judged,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">our mind's made up, and nothing said, could ever make us budge,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">forever we're against them, and we always hold the grudge:</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In the arteries of life we serve as nothing more than sludge.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He heard the words of Jesus. He's the only one who could,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">because He kept it private. That's the way He said they should.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So Jesus gained His brother, it's the thing that He was at.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He overcame the devil and the precious ointment spat.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So taking up His garments, and once again His seat,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He asked them if they understood regarding washing feet.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course they couldn't understand the thing that they'd been given;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but afterward they'd hear the tale that Judas was forgiven.</span></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">From Foot Washing To Apostle</span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;</span></span><br /><h3 class="western"> </h3><div dir="LTR" id="post-body-4620103285790092718"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So now the hour was well advanced for Him to take His leave.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd go the way His Father said and leave them all to grieve.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd eat the bread His Father gave, the work that He should do.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd give His life for all the world, His Father gave it too.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But that the scripture be fulfilled, He should not eat alone.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">One should eat His bread with Him, and that one of His own.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The scripture said that it should be whose heel was lifted up,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the one who should deliver Him and that way share His cup.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With trespass now forgiven him, they two could share His bread.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The devil wouldn't call the shots, but Jesus would instead.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">It troubled Him to think of it, the woe not His alone.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The one He saved would rue his life, his flesh and too, his bone.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The servant's not the greater nor is he that one does send,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but the greater is received by who receives him, in the end.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He told them one should give Him up, and that one of the twelve.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Although each asked if it were he, no further did they delve.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Except for Simon Peter. Simon beckoned to his son</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">to ask of Jesus secretly which one should be the one.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So after he had asked Him, the Lord said here's the sign:</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the one who gets this sop, when I have dipped it in the wine.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So after He had dipped it, He gave it to the one</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">who'd just then asked the question. He gave to Simon's son.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Flesh and blood were given so the last became the first.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">An end would come to hunger; an end would come to thirst.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Judas only filled the bill; He couldn't choose another.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He had to choose and send that one, that was His new gained brother.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And having then received the sop, now Satan entered in.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The adversary came to tempt and battle from within. </span></span> </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Is it I should give You up?” You cast that from my heart!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Do as you've said and quickly now, by scripture it's your part.”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So at the word of Jesus, he got up from his place.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His act of glorifying all would think a great disgrace.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Having then received the sop, he went out; it was night.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">With both God and Satan in him, he'd reacted to his plight.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things of men and things of God were whirling in his head.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The question he considered, were it better he were dead?</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Destined for perdition, the condition he'd been in,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">he'd come to hate this life of his, he was a man of sin.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But Jesus came to save him, of this he'd heard Him say.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Could He really do it, for one so far astray?</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">To him it hardly mattered, his course he now had set.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd plod this road unto the end despite his deep regret.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He really couldn't say to Him, “Lord, I've changed my mind,”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">when Jesus spoke, “You've said.” It seemed as if to bind.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He'd heard the words of Simon, “Lord, be it far from thee,”</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and now he had that spirit, from which teaching said to flee.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This shall not be unto thee?” how could he say these words?</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Jesus had recoiled at them, as not of God but for the birds.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div></div><h3 class="western"><br /> </h3><div dir="LTR" id="post-body-3248953232075168024"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">O Judas (It's All About Jesus)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There was a man, a fallen man</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">whose destiny would be perdition.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He was a thief and betrayed his friend.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This we received in our tradition.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A better friend no man could have.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His love revealed, revealed unspoken.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He washed the heel 'twas lifted up.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He washed it clean - a sign, a token.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A heart was changed; a heart was healed.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The power of love could not be broken.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But something else was going on,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">something else, and hardly spoken.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">From up on high he came to show</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">how every man would have to go.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then going back from this below,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">he told his friend he'd help him go.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like Job he'd look upon his birth.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">A later judge upon his girth,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and lead the sheep of planet earth</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">to denigrate his life, his worth.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beelzebub! his friend they called him.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now he's been called so much, much more.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He earned his coins - they weren't stolen,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but took them back which Scripture said restore.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Denied himself. Took up his cross.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His life of sin he made his loss,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and losing that for his friend's sake,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">he found his life in losing's wake.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Born once again. Below the cross.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">His brother/friend he'd made his boss.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boss to Boss his friend would go</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As he looked on from down below.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And looking on he heard him speak</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">to her there standing grieved and bleak.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;">“<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Behold your son,” he heard him say.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And with that said, he looked his way.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Three days hence upon the morn,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">came Magdalene, her look careworn,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and said they'd taken him away;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">she didn't know where now he lay.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">He outran Simon to the tomb,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">and he looked in, expecting gloom.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Then Simon came and entered in;</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">then he did too, the man of sin.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Linen cloth here. Head's napkin there.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But corpse no more lay anywhere.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">They'd entered in who were bereaved,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">but seeing these he then believed.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After this, when out to sea,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">he saw him standing on the shore,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the man with life forever . . . more,</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the man who's knocking at the door.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1in;"><br /></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Paradidomi" </span></span><br /><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The men who wrote the KJV</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">wrote well but not inerrably.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Betray” was not “paradidomi.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He only said, “deliver me.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The word “betray” should not have been</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">a gospel word or found therein.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Though one's described in all but one,</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">the word's not used by God's own son.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Against him, “heel was lifted up.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said it once at their last sup.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not once before, not once again,</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">not with “betray” he named the sin.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He washed the heel, and it was clean.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">So after that, don't call it mean.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said to him that he'd “deliver.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was God's plan for his life's giver.</span></div><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, &quot;Times New Roman&quot;, serif;">This collection of previously posted poems is offered only in my own name.</span></span></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-44288550133448969672012-07-29T10:33:00.000-04:002012-07-29T10:33:10.711-04:00Another Look At The Foot Washing<br /><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>THE CONTEXT OF THE FOOT WASHING</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">References to Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples of Jesus whose feet he washed, bracket the narration of the foot washing and form the immediate context for it. (John 13:2; 13:18) The references describe a disciple whose heart is not clean, and who trespassed against Jesus by an action of his foot.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just before the narration of the foot washing, we have a reference to the spiritual condition of Judas: “the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot to deliver him.” (John 13:2) Just after the narration, we have an allusion to an act performed by Judas while he was under that influence of the devil: “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) The act to which Jesus alluded was the making of a covenant to deliver him to the chief priests. (Matthew 26:14,15,16) That act was a trespass against Jesus.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>THE PURPOSES OF THE FOOT WASHING</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Jesus taught his disciples to forgive the trespasses of others. (Matthew 6:14) He taught them also, if a brother trespass against you, then go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. (Matthew 18:15) The foot washing is the response of Jesus to the trespass against him by Judas. The foot washing gives the disciples of Jesus an example of how they should respond to the trespasses of one another.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>HOW JESUS REVEALED HIS FORGIVENESS</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">Washing symbolizes the removal of offenses. Jesus associated the trespass of Judas with an action of the foot when he paraphrased Psalms 41:9: “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18) Jesus conveyed to Judas his message of forgiveness when he washed the heel that Judas knew was lifted up against him.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>HOW JESUS TOLD JUDAS HIS FAULT BETWEEN HIM AND JUDAS ALONE</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">When Jesus began to wash the feet of his disciples, none of them understood what he was doing. The case of Simon Peter is stated explicitly. (John 13:7) Likewise, none of them understood when he said that they were not all clean . . . except Judas. (John 13:10) In a spirit of ill will, Judas had made a covenant to deliver Jesus to the chief priests. (Matthew 26:14,15)&nbsp; Furthermore, he had come to this supper looking for an opportunity to deliver him. (Matthew 26:16) If Judas had any doubt that this was the uncleanness to which Jesus referred, that doubt was erased when Jesus paraphrased the Psalm: “[he] has lifted up his heel against me.” The offense of having one's heel lifted up against another described clearly enough for Judas his offense in looking for an opportunity to deliver Jesus. While Jesus was assembled with the twelve, he told Judas his fault effectively, and, in the telling, he kept the affair between him and Judas alone.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><u>THE EXAMPLE WHICH JESUS GAVE TO HIS DISCIPLES</u></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If I then, your Lord and Master, have forgiven the one among you who trespassed against me, you also ought to forgive the trespasses of one another. (John 13:14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have gone to my brother who trespassed against me, and told him his fault between me and him alone, then you should go to your brother who trespasses against you, and tell him his fault between you and him alone. (Matthew 18:15)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. (John 13:17)</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-size: large;">I offer this look at the foot washing only in my own name.</span></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7651797740005543871.post-64758483123812247812012-05-29T22:54:00.000-04:002012-12-21T19:36:41.746-05:00"Paradidomi" (A Poem)<div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;"></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The men who wrote the KJV</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">wrote well but not inerrably.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Betray” was not “paradidomi.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He only said, “deliver me.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">The word “betray” should not have been</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">a gospel word or found therein.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Though one's described in all but one,</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">the word's not used by God's own son.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Against him, “heel was lifted up.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said it once at their last sup.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Not once before, not once again,</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">not with “betray” he named the sin.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He washed the heel, and it was clean.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">So after that, don't call it mean.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">He said to him that he'd “deliver.”</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-size: large;">It was God's plan for his life's giver.</span></div>Gary Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17611268265972464680noreply@blogger.com0